Sorry bud, you're just not that cool

Okay, I need to update you on two dates I've been on lately. The first was on Monday night with Pharm. It wasn't so much as a date as it was two people hanging out and grabbing dinner. He texted me after work and said he was craving a Bloomin' Burger and asked if I had dinner plans. There's no way I can resist one of those, so off I went. Pharm really is a nice guy, and I do enjoy spending time with him, just not it "that" way. After dinner he insisted on buying me Cold Stone. I tried to pay but he wouldn't let me. Like I said, he's a nice guy.

Last night I went to the movies with Slot. He had emailed me last week and asked if I wanted to "hang out" again. I didn't really want to do anything that would require a ton of conversation, so we went to see Step Brothers (which was pretty funny, with bits of disgusting stuff, as you would imagine with a Will Ferrell movie). There's just something about this guy that bugs me. He has this attitude that he is God's gift to women...which he most definitely is not. He owns a house and has a good job, and I think those accomplishments just brought him to a new level of cockiness. If he were super hot, I could sort of understand the attitude, but he's just not cute enough to pull it off (and no, I'm not saying being hot is an excuse, but it does make it slightly more understandable). Will I hang out with him again? I don't know, it will probably depend on whether or not I have something better to do. Wow, that sound harsh...such is the world of dating.

I think on Friday I am actually going out to dinner with Tex, so that's exciting. Next week I'm having sushi with a guy who lives out of town, but comes up here fairly regularly for business. And what do you know, he's also in pharmaceutical sales. What do I name him? Pharm 2? That will get way too confusing. Oh, got it....his name is Johnny (yes, an actual name), because the place where he lives is referenced in a Johnny Cash song. I am stretching that one...

My non-date date

Tonight was my non-date date with Pharm. Ever since we made plans I've been a little nervous about one thing- the dinner bill. I didn't want him to think I thought he should pay, since technically it isn't a date...but I also didn't want to have one of those awkward check moments. Anyway, let me back up...we went to Outback to try their new Bloomin' Burger. Let me just say it is great. It's a normal cheeseburger with bloomin' onion pieces on it, plus some of the sauce. It was fantastic, highly recommended. Towards the end of the meal I was starting to get the check anxiety, but he actually had his wallet pulled out before the check even came. Whew. My ideal plan the whole time is that he would do that and then I would pay for the movie....which I did. Oh, we saw Get Smart. Terrible reviews, hilarious movie. Seriously. If you are a Steve Carell fan you should see it. Even if you aren't, but like dry humor and subtle jokes, see it. We were both laughing the entire time. On the way home we drove by A&W and had to make a root beer float stop. Yummy. I had a pretty good time. There wasn't any weirdness or anything, which I was a little worried about. I don't know if we will ever be more than friends, but for now, friends is fine by me.

Lefty2

I had my lunch date with Lefty2 today. He is a pretty nice guy, and we seem to have the most important things in common, such as our hatred of mushrooms, zucchini, and asparagus. This is vital. Lunch went well and we ended up talking for about an hour and a half. We really do have a lot of things in common, except for that darn political thing. He seems like he'd be cool to hang out with, so assuming he asks I would see him again.

Thurday I'm going out with Pharm, and Friday with Tex. Next week (so far) I am meeting Golf on Tuesday and Lefty at some point. I hate having so many dates in a week, but if I don't schedule them like that I would be booked for like a month. I know, there are worse problems to have.

Who would have thought...

Tonight was supposed to be my golf lesson/date with Golf. However, at around 3pm, we got a sudden downpour and hail storm. Yes, hail when it's been in the 90s. I really didn't know that was possible. The rain cleared up, but then there was lightening. I didn't think that standing by a lake, holding a metal rod was a good idea given the whether. So, our date has once again been rescheduled for next Tuesday.

Last Friday I was supposed to have a non-date with Pharm. I ended up working a little later than I expected and there was no way I could have been presentable by the time we were meeting, so I canceled. We are now getting together on Thursday.

Tomorrow I have a lunch date with another new guy, Lefty2. He is not to be confused with the original Lefty, who I had planned on meeting this week but couldn't because of work. Lefty2 seems very cool, except for the obvious flaw in political choice. We are meeting for lunch at a place pretty close where I work (and he only works a couple miles away).

Friday I am going out with Tex, and I am trying to figure out a time to go out again with Flight. Busy, busy, busy.

Um, too much of a coincidence...

You know how I have that little tracker thing on my page that shows who visit the site? It keeps me pretty entertained, since every now and then someone from, say, India or England reads my blog. It also says what page the went to and/or where they came from. Well, today I noticed that someone from Japan went to the "Maverick Update" blog. Those loyal readers I have will remember that Maverick is in Japan. I am currently racking my brain to think of any way he could have found out about my blog. I know there is a way it can be done, but I also know that these blogs exist, and it would be really hard to find the trail without knowing everything. Hmmm....

Oh, speaking of Maverick, my friend and I are going to Vegas in last August, and hopefully I will be able to meet him. Yay!

Completely unrelated, I am meeting up with Pharm tonight. I was totally sincere when I said I would like to hang out with him as a friend. I mean who knows, maybe something might develop, maybe not, but at least now we are on the same page.

I told you so

Last night was my date with Tex. Overall it went pretty well. We went and hit golf balls. The place we went is set up so you hit into water, and there are little islands out there to give you a place to aim. Well we created a competition to see who could hit them the most. I was a way better golfer than he was, he could hit it okay but was pretty inconsistent. That inconsistency worked out though, because he would it the ball and it would randomly hit an island. Those of you who know me know I'm pretty competitive, so it was pretty annoying. I tried to smile and contratulate him, but let's face it, I hate losing. After golf we went to his house and he made tacos. They were pretty good, but not as good as the strawberry shortcake we had for dessert. Yummy. We hung out for a little while and then I headed home. At the beginning of the date I was a little uncomfortable, but by the end I was having a good time.

When I got home I had an email from Pharm. I was fairly sure I wouldn't hear from him again. He basically said that he understands and that you can't help it if it's just not there. He did say he would like to hang out as friends with no expectations or anything, and he would leave the ball in my court to see if I was sincere about my offer to do so. I was, so it looks like we will continue to hang out as friends. Unfortunately that probably means I'll have to pay for my own stuff...boo...But I am glad that it all seems to have worked out.

I did it...

After a lot of thought I decided to email Pharm. I've never received a "Dear John" letter, but I can imagine that it sucks. I basically told him that although I had a good time with him and appreciated everything he did, I just wasn't feeling the chemistry (which I think you should feel during the first date, let alone the third). I also said that I would enjoy hanging out with him in the future (friend zone), but that I understand if that's not what he's looking for. I feel really bad, but I think he deserved to hear what I needed to tell him before he takes me out and spends another $100 on dinner.

My date calendar is getting sort of ridiculous. I am now scheduling dates for next weekend (as in 10 days from now), because I'm pretty much booked solid until then. It is getting to the point where I am having a hard time keeping track of them. Through this whole process I've only made one mistake (I said something about the school Tex went to, then realized it was Slot who had gone to that school...oops...). It's weird, when I first signed up for match I had tons of dates, then is seems like the population dried up, and the number of emails I got suddenly went way down. Now, it's like the dry spell is over and I am back to getting at least 5 emails/winks from NEW guys each day. So I'm scheduling my dates like a doctor schedules his patients- book people every day, but leave spots open for emergencies (in this case, my favorites). I would hate for someone I really like to ask me out and have to tell them I'm available in 2 weeks.

Oh, Flight is back from vacation and I think we are going to meet for dinner in a town half way between us (remember, he lives an hour away). I suggested this and he said that I scored major points by offering to travel. Gold star for me!

Pharm

I haven't talked to/heard from Pharm since Saturday, when he sent me a text. It basically said that he hoped I had a good holiday and for me to let him know when I'm back in town. I haven't replied. Even though I know there's no chemistry, I told myself that if he contacts me and asks me out again I will go...partially to give it one last shot and partially because I would feel bad, since he sent me all that stuff (however psycho). Like I said, the ball is in my court, since he asked me to call him.

I know I don't want to call to just chat or whatever because I don't want to lead him on....really the only reason for me to contact him would be to tell him I'm not interested...but, do I owe him an explanation? Should I send him an email or something saying that I'm just not in the same place as he is (or something like that)? Now, for my regular blog readers, you know that I have no problem just not talking to a guy and letting the situation work itself out...but I don't want this poor guy to be like "everything was fine, I sent her flowers and wine, and never heard from her again...I'm never buying flowers for a girl again." Think of it as taking one for the team...

What do you think?

Fireworks

I am happy to say that my date with Tex went really well. I drove over to his house and then we drove together to watch the fireworks. He packed a picnic, complete with appetizers and dessert. We had planned to go to the park and sit on the grass, but we ended up parking in a little dirt parking lot thing on the side of the road where a lot of cars were parked for the show. Tex has a truck, so we just put the lawn chairs in the back and sat in the truck bed. We were really close (like 500 ft) from where the fireworks were launched, so it was awesome. Right away we sort of made friends with some people parked across from us, and the man, noticing the well-planned picnic, said that it must be our first date, since guys don't do stuff like that forever. We said he was wrong and that we had been together 15 years...and he actually believed us...yep, together since I was a freshman in high school.

Anyway, the whole night went really well. He is very stable (just bought a house), has a good job, but is still fun and doesn't act like he's 50 (unlike Pharm). That's the blend I've been looking for, someone who has their stuff together without making me feel like a little kid. I texted him the next morning to thank him and say I had a good time, and he texted back saying he a good time too, and that the last 15 years has really flown by. So, hopefully we'll be going out again...of course seeing how I am actually interested in him, he probably doesn't want to go out again. Murphy's Law strikes again...

Slots of fun

Okay, time for a recap of my date with Slot. I was looking forward to this date for a couple of reasons, first, because after emailing back and forth for well over a month I was really ready to meet the guy, and second, to see if my issues of not liking any of the guys I have met is because of them or because of me. For example, Pharm is a great guy, very nice, and very attentive (understatement of the year there)...he has the same goals for the future as I have, and, on paper, is great. However, the thought of him making a move on me sort of grosses me out. After undergoing the psychological consultation of a friend from work, I decided that my date with Slot was the perfect opportunity to see if I am really ready to date.

We agreed to meet at a bar/pub waaay on the other side of town from where we both live. Not sure why, but that's what I get for letting him pick (I later found out it's because his friend is a bartender so sometimes he gets hooked up with drinks). I get there at exactly the time we were supposed to meet and send him a text, asking if he's there. Nope, but he's on the freeway. He finally shows up 15 minutes later. Now, I understand that stuff happens, but how about calling someone if you are going to be more than 5 minutes late? Common courtesy, folks. Anyway, he gets there and goes into the bar, while I am still sitting in my car. I actually thought I saw him walk in, but wasn't sure. About 2 minutes later I get a text from him, and I tell him I'll be right in. I go inside and he has already gotten himself a drink. We get a table, and not once does he ask me if I want something. The waitress comes around and I order myself a drink. The first thing I notice is that the pictures he had on match were definitely his good pictures. He is good looking, just not quite on the level I was expecting. We actually ended up talking for about two hours, which sort of shocked me. Overall he is a nice guy, and I would like to hang out with him, but I can't see us having any sort of long term thing, he just doesn't seem like my type. OH, and he paid for his beer that he had ordered at the bar before I was there, but then the bill came for the other beer he ordered and my drink. He made no sort of movement to pay for it, so I had my money out (I wasn't going to be held hostage again, especially not for my $5 drink), then said he would pay because he had made me wait 15 minutes. Um, how about paying because you're the boy and you asked me out?

The important thing about the date is the thought of him making a move does not gross me out. So I have come to the conclusion that it's not me, it's just luck of the draw with the guys I've dated so far. And yes, I am going to give Pharm another chance, just because he is a nice guy and I don't want to be the girl who got flowers and then never talked to the guy again...that would almost guarantee that I would never again in my life get flowers, and that's just not a risk I'm willing to take.

Also, I need to introduce a new guy to the blog, Tex. Tex is from the area, but went to school in CA and then to grad school in Texas. He just bought a house (with a pool, perfect for summer) and is a sewer engineer (which sounds like a fancy name for a plumber or something, but actually he designs systems or something like that). Anyway, we've been talking for a week or so. I was supposed to go out of town for the weekend, but do to a little logistical mix-up was left here on the 4th of July with no plans. He happened to text me and ask what I was doing, and when I said nothing, he suggested we do something. There is a big fireworks show, so we are going to the park where it all happens and having a picnic....sort of necessary to get there really early to claim a spot, so we figured we could multi-task and eat while claiming our territory.

OMG

Remember yesterday how I said that Pharm was being a bit too intense and I was kind of wanting him to back off? Well, today I go into my office and on my desk is a box containing flowers in a vase, a bottle of wine, and containers of licorice and chocolate covered cherries. Now don't get me wrong, I think this is a very nice gesture...however, it seems that after knowing him for all of 6 days it may be a little much. What do you think?

I like you, you're great, leave me alone.

I had my date with Pharm last night. He is very easy to talk to and we have a good time together. We went to dinner and this very yummy place, then got Coldstone (yes, again) after. This was our third date in four days, and he just asked me if I am free on Thursday. Now, don't get me wrong, it's great having someone chase me for a change, it's very flattering...but, at the same time, I am actually happy that I have plans through Sunday, because I feel like it's just too much. Maybe I'm just not used to being pursued like that, who knows...The other problem is that I have absolutely no desire to do anything with him (okay, get your minds out of the gutter, I'm talking first base here). And it's not because I'm not attracted to him, I am, but it just seems so awkward....maybe that's just part of the dating thing when you've been out of the game a while. Hmm...for anyone reading this who has had to return to the dating world after a long relationship, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts and experiences.

I was able to turn him down for Thursday because I have my date with Slot! It's about time...

It's starting to pour...

Soooo, after many weeks of uneventfulness (is that a word? Don't think so...but it's perfect) I finally have some actual dating stories. Yay!

I've been talking to a guy from match for a couple of weeks. He's a 32 year old pharmaceutical sales guy, so his name will be Pharm. Last week he asked if I would like to meet up for coffee. Now, I know coffee is a great idea for a first date, because for the guy, he only has to shell out a max of about $8, and for a girl (and guy), the date can take under 30 minutes if need be. I, however, am not really into the coffee thing, not really sure why, I guess because I don't really consider it a real date. But anyway, because my well has been a little dry, I said yes. We met at a Starbucks right down the road from me (1.4 miles, to be exact) at 10:30 on Saturday. I'm not one for morning dates, since it means I have to be date-ready early, which means I have to get up even earlier. Yucky. When I got there he already had my drink in hand (I had told him that I don't like coffee but that I like a VERY specific latte, with about 7 alterations)...that gave him some bonus points. We sat and talked for a while, then walked around (slowly, since I am still recovering from craphood). After sitting/walking/talking for an hour or so, he asked if I would like to grab lunch. Sure. So we walked over to a lunch place and continued with the conversation. We finish up and say goodbye. He called me a couple of hours later, asking if I wanted to have lunch the following day (today). Sure. Today we went out to lunch, after which we walked around by the river and got Cold Stone (yay!). Afterwards we went back to his house and sat around for a while...he asked if I was available for dinner, so we are meeting up again on Tuesday. Over all, I think Pharm is a very nice guy. He definitely has his stuff together and he's fun to hang out with. He's also 6'4" which is super. The only problem is that at 32, he has gray hair. Now, I know it's not his fault, but I always feel like I am with an old guy. I find that I have to remind myself in the middle of conversation that he's not 45. Hopefully I can get over that though, because he is fun to hang out with.

Also on the agenda for this week is.....drum roll....a date with Slot. Finally! We've been talking for well over a month now, and our date got sidelined when I got sick. We originally made a date for Wednesday, but then I remembered I have a late afternoon filling replacement, and I don't know if the half-the-face-numb thing is really a good look. So we are meeting on Thursday. I'm really excited about this one, mainly because I think if it doesn't work out romantically that he could still be someone to just hang out with..and seeing how I have all of 4 friends in Reno, people to hang out with is a good thing.